Building a Snipe nest, Raising Anchor pt 2
by SnigePippi
Summary: Follows 'Hunting a Shark'. Old theme: Stranded on a lone island. Zoro and Tashigi has to survive with nothing but four swords, do wildlife cooking and discus whether good memories makes you happy. Cute baby animals and fluffy romance. Complete
1. The Storm

**Building a Snipe nest.**

I have no rights to One Piece. It belongs to the distinguished Mr. Oda Eiichiro, who can draw much better stories than me. Keeping a comic going for that many yrs might have helped to that...I haven't tried drawing the same stuff for so long, yet.

A/N. I'm still a Dane and a great believer of cruelty to the common comma. All thank **Dead by manga **for Beta-ing the worst gramma mistakes away.

I'm doing this for my own pleasure but still, all authors like reviews :) Even if it's just a small: 'I liked it.' or 'You suck!'

* * *

**The Usual Animal Note**:

Apparently Tashigi means _Gallinago gallinago_, the Common Snipe.

It is a well camouflaged bird usually shy and conceals itself close to ground vegetation and flushes only when approached closely. Longest-billed of all snipes with a long brown bill, best identified by broad white stripe at base of the under-wing. Upperparts cryptically colored with brown and yellow-brown streaks of many different shades. Underpants white but strongly suffused with orange wash, heavily barred and streaked with dark brown. Breeds extensively across northern Europe and Asia, then winters in parts of Europe, North Africa, and across southern Asia. Nearly always in marshes, wetlands, flooded fields, and moist grasslands.

It is still hunted as a game bird in much of its range.

Compared: Kuina means the Rallus aquaticus, the Water rail. Mainly brown upperparts and blue-grey underparts, with black barring on the flanks. The body is flattened to allow easier passage through the reeds. They have long toes, a short tail and a long slim reddish bill. Legs are yellowish.

* * *

**The Storm**

Another wave crushed over her and she swore about wetness and seawater, even though she couldn't really get anymore wet. She stumbled towards the bow grabbing along ropes and onto the rail. Commodore Smoker stood squarely at the foremost point, keeping himself glued to the deck with two firm smoke feet and concentrated on looking in a telescope. When she reached him he gave her the lenses, spit a wet cigar stump in the ocean and said with a grin:

'Ah, Tashigi, We're gaining in on them. And they can't use their damned fancy speed bombs in this weather.'

'Yes Sir...' She started, when a wave bolted them up again.

'Sir, about the weather...' she continued. 'Our navigators and helmsmen are yelling at me, saying that we should ride out this storm instead of keeping pursuit!'

Smoker lit a new cigar with a little difficulty then he glared at her.

'Harrumph. They'd say that, wouldn't they? This is a fine opportunity to catch the Straw Hats! They are caught in the storm too, but we have more manpower! Tell those 'Marines' to follow up and get ready for a fight!' He grunted.

Tashigi nodded weakly but didn't go yet.

'Sir?' She asked weakly. 'What do we do if we catch them?'

'When we catch them, Ensign Tashigi, when we catch them! True Marines don't believe in 'if' or 'maybes'!' Smoker huffed.

'Yes, Sir. But still, Commodore Smoker. What do we do with them?' She looked worried after the ship they were chasing.

He looked at her for a while and smoked slowly. She felt a blush coming and corrected her glasses nervously.

'Sir, I mean I know that since Arabasta and ...and Marineford, everything has seemed a little... blurred on what to do...or who to..' She tried to explain.

'Not to mention your interesting, if somewhat lacking report when I picked you up in Pidgentown, eh?' He interrupted her. 'Ensign. We are Marines and they are Pirates. We know what to do, we do Justice.'

He puffed a few clouds but she couldn't see whether they came from him or his cigar. Then she felt his hand shortly on her arm.

'But, I might have changed my opinion on where justice is found or where I'll bring pirates to justice.' He then added woodenly. 'Now, Tashigi, go and get ready.'

She offered a wet salute and began the heaving climb back over the deck. She got inside and found a tired navigator and shook her head.

'Commodore wants to continue, and everybody's to get ready for the fight.' Tashigi sighed.

The navigator rubbed her eyes but smiled with admiration.

'Aye Ensign...Commodore's crazy. I'll spread the word. There's strong coffee ready in the mess.' The navigator replied and saluted.

Tashigi went to her quarter, a small room shared with another female Ensign, and sat on her rack. She looked shortly at her swords trying to get herself to decide which one to use, even if she knew she'd end up using the Meitou Shigure. But still, it was nice to have a choice.

Then she changed her trousers to some less wet and with more mobility and then got her drenched Marine jacket back on. At last she fastened Shigure and gritted her teeth walking out of the room. She still didn't know how to get ready to a fight with the Straw Hats. People she'd come to think of as honorable people. Well, maybe there was one she'd fight, and she would gladly go after his face! And, she did owe Robin payback from Arabasta... But if she ended up against Chopper or Nami, she knew her heart wouldn't be in it.

She sighed and went for a hurried cub of coffee in the mess.

Ensign Tashigi go a few salutes, mores smiles and plenty 'Commodore's Crazy Awesome' by the coffee stand. She relaxed a little. Smoker was right. They knew their duty and what to do. And she could do it.

She got back on deck and found a place to hold on tight while watching the ship catching in the Thousand Sunny. Smoker still stood at the bow, anticipating.

They gained in faster and faster. The Marine ship had more hands to help in the storm and the Sunny only had one small navigator and a shipwright who new about riding a storm. Luff... The Straw Hat and his crew were of the sea, but not skilled sailors. Tashigi knew that the Marines would catch their prey like any other Seagull in a storm.

* * *

At last the Sunny was in clear view and Tashigi could see the Straw Hat crew on the other ship. She looked around on the Marine vessel smiling proudly at the determined and ready Mariners on the deck. The Marine ship was ready to engage but then everybody heard Straw Hat Luffy's happy laughter over the roar of the storm.

'Yo! Smoker!' Luffy called. 'Long time no see! How have you been doing? How is everybody?'

Time stopped for a moment, the two ships were rolling synchronously in the Grand Line storm. Then Smoker first shook his head and then shook his fist against the pirates, but somehow Tashigi knew Smoker would be smiling towards the Straw Hat Crew. He could still smile, even though there wasn't many smiles in their part of the Marine anymore.

Then Commodore Smoker signaled attack and launched a White Snake towards the Sunny and her crew, and the rest of the Marines followed through.

The fight was weird. It was as much a fight against the storm as between the two ships. Tashigi could see that this time the main fighters of the Straw Hats were Luffy, Robin, Usopp and Brook, while Chopper in his Heavy Point and Nami was clinging to the wheel and Sanji and Zo... Roronoa used most of their time helping Franky stabilizing the ship.

Not that two skilled Devil Fruit users, a creative Sniper and a skeletal Swordsman was easy to defeat, but every now and then either Sanji or Roronoa had to let go of whatever rigging or lever they where manhandling and defend the Sunny. And every time that happened the Thousand Sunny started to shake and heave dangerously. But still they held against the Marines, who had just as much trouble fighting on a rolling deck as the pirates.

Many orders and war cries was lost in the bellowing storm and she couldn't see much for the waved rolling over the Marine ships deck. Keeping the ships close enough for fighting but not having them collide was another accomplishment from both of the fighting crews. For a while the fight where mainly projectiles and Devil Fruit attacks. Suddenly she realized that Smoker had created a White Bridge between the ships stabilizing a small gab. She waved frantically to the nearest Marines not event trying to outshout the storm and then got them to jump the small gab Smoker had created to attack the Sunny for real.

She readied her sword grimly, getting ready to attack the only people who still made her smile. Well, except one of them.

All the Mariners ended up in front of Brooke and started fighting the skeletal musician, but soon Sanji materialized next to Brook and kicked four Mariners back to their ship. Tashigi wielded Shigure and turned to Sanji, but he just evaded her and waved happily before concentrating on other Mariners. She yelled angrily after him but then a roll of the Sunny sent her tumbling backwards over the grassy deck. She bumped into a pair of legs by the Sunny's mast.

'Yoh, Sword Chick!' Franky yelled at her while lifting her back up. 'You're doing just SUPER. But don't fall overboard!' Then he went back to fixing something at the mast and punching a few Mariners every now and then.

'Will nobody fight me!' She yelled back while regaining her balance.

'I'm not fighting a Sister, Sword Chick! That would be not very nice. Hey, Look out!' ( Franky pushed her away from an incoming Marine projectile and she stumbled backwards slamming into another body. She looked up and into the frowning face of Roronoa Zoro.

He had a sword in one hand and his mouth but the other arm was busy keeping a rope from the Sunny tightly stretched. She lifted Shigure towards him.

'You fight me!' she hissed.

He glared at her and shook his head once and then leapt over to Franky and handed the Shipwright the rope. Then he ran away from them and towards the thigh melee around Brook.

She gritted her teeth angrily and started running after the Swordsman, but a nearby crate grabbed her arm.

'Leave him.' Robins voice tickled from under Tashigi's ear. 'You can fight me if you're bored, Tashi-chan.'

'Then fight!' Tashigi yelled and slashed towards the arm on the crate. Robins voice laughed from under her ear.

'Seis Fleur Clutch!'

Tashigi felt herself being pulled backwards and swung Shigure frantically at the flowering arms. The next few minutes she was occubied with a rapid exchange of sprouting arms and hands appearing all over her own body. The unwanted hands grabbed after her sword, pulled her nose and tickled her! Tashigi growled at the humiliating fighting style and started chopping at Robin's arms in earnest.

A rubber ball thrown against her from a White Blow from Smoker interrupted her fight with Robin.

The rubber ball grinned at her.

'Hi Tashigi. You can join my crew after I defeat you and Smoky! Won't that be fun? See you. Gumo Gumo Rocket!' And then the Straw hat captain flung himself towards Smoker again with a laughter.

Robin was now engaged in another fight. Tashigi was standing alone by the rail of the Sunny trying to get a grip of the fight and where to set in. The Mariners were outnumbering the Straw Hat pirates and they didn't need to worry about the Marine ship.

Suddenly a loud outcry from Franky stopped the fight for a moment. A giant wave pushed towards the Sunny bringing the two ships dangerously close. Fist Smoker and then Luffy, when Robin yelled at him, jumped to keep the ships apart and avoid a crash. Chopper shouted something to Franky and then the Sunny bucked and the following great wave sloshed over the grassy deck. Tashigi felt her feet slip and the wave pulling at her. She held onto Shigure while grasping after the edge of the rail, but her fingers slipped on the wet wood and she was sucked down between the two towering ships.

'Tashigi!' she heard Robins voice scream and a vine of hands grew towards her.

Tashigi caught a hand but the drag of the ocean pulled her under a large wave and the vine of helping hands weakened and dissolved. She fought her way up to the surface and was met by a white smoke reaching for her. But as she started lifting her arm towards the smoky grip the Marine ship rolled and slammed into her shoulder. She felt her sword's hand loosen and gasped terrified at the inner vision of seeing her beautiful sword falling like a star towards the dark bottom of the sea. The gasp pulled seawater into her mouth and lungs and she spitted and coughed and was dragged down again, but at least it helped her tighten her grip on Shigure.

She fought against the ocean trying to find her way up. But the rolling movement made it difficult finding the real up and down. Her lungs were beginning to strain. She swam and twisted trying to remember everything she new about surviving the sea.

Then the dark shape of a hull plunged towards her. She tried to get away but didn't know how to. Then something grabbed the hair at the back of her head and pulled her away. She surfaced and gulped after air gratefully, but the ships hull still crashed into her.

Everything went black.


	2. Between a Sword and a Hard place

**Between a Sword and a Hard place.**

The first thing she noticed was that she was cold, thirsty and her head hurt. Gray light slipped under her eyelids and her body was swaying gently in the too cold water. She took a deep breath and immediately started coughing and gasping for air. She coughed up some water. Then her stomach followed suit and she heaved out salt water and acid. She moved slowly and noticed she was caught between something hard on her back and a warm steel bar against her ribs just under her breasts, but a least her head was somewhere warm. She moved uncomfortably and then she cracked her eyes open and tried to she find out where she was.

'You're awake.' A voice rumbled behind her. 'Can you hold yourself out the water now?'

She winced and then wriggled and got around to see Roronoa Zoro behind her. He was keeping her squeezed tightly between a Marine issued Lifebuoy and his arm. Her head had been on his chest. She stiffened away from him and grabbed for a hold on the buoy.

'Good, now if you..'

'Shigure!' She interrupted him, 'Were is Shigure!'

'In front of you.'

With his other arm he had been holding four swords on top of the lifebuoy and out of the water. She laid a hand on Shigure sighing with relief.

'Keep the swords out of the water and hold this.' Roronoa Zoro said behind her. Then he piled a mass of wet green cloth on the buoy, unsheathed Shuusui and disappeared under the water.

Tashigi was alone under a soft gray sky in the undulating gray softness of the ocean.

She held on to the tree swords and the lifebuoy looking around. There was noting but sea and horizon all around.

An explosion suddenly pierced the gray waters, and a huge shark was tumbling in a soft curve above her. The waters didn't have time to clam down before another shark followed like a cannonball.

The swordsman resurfaced, grabbed on to the lifebuoy, sheathed Shuusui and shook water out of his hair.

'They've been following for the last hour or so. I was tired of kicking them away, but you kept slipping down the water.' He said.

She looked at him for a while.

'Where did you get a Marine Lifebuoy from.' She asked then.

'Smoker threw it to me when he saw I'd found you.'

'Oh.'

'But then the rope broke and everybody got separated.'

'Why did you go after me?'

'Well, it wouldn't have helped you much if it was Smoker, Chopper or Luffy who went after you.'

'They wouldn't...'

Roronoa just looked at her.

She stopped herself. They would do something stupid like that. Especially Luffy who clearly saw her as a friend. Seemed like the guy was very protective of his friends.

'Yes, they would. You probably had to stop them...Um...thank you I guess.'

He just nodded.

She looked tiredly towards the horizon.

The silence stayed.

The waves were gently sloshing around them.

How long have I been unconscious?' she finally asked.

'It was evening when the fight started and it was sunrise about two hours ago.'

She felt about her head. It didn't seem that bad and there was no open wound, just a bruise. But she was still a little dizzy and very tired. And cold, so very cold.

'We have to get out of the water.' She said then. 'Or at least get moving. I'm cold.'

The swordsman just nodded and started swimming, dragging the lifebuoy with him. She began swimming too. They weren't going anywhere, they were just going on.

She didn't know how long the swam. But for a time it helped moving. She could fell the warmth in her arms and legs while swimming but moving was getting harder all the time.

She didn't even notice she was falling asleep before she was dragged out of the water with considerably force and pressed hard against the buoy again.

'What are you doing?' Zoro exclaimed.

She was pressed against him again and he was nicely warm. She snuggled closer to the warmth.

'Hm..hypothermia.' She mumbled. 'Main cause of dead when shipwrecked. Body cools down.'

She sighed. There was flickering stars in the corner of her eyes.

'So pretty.' She mumbled at them.

''Hypothermia: core temperature gets dangerously low, hm what's it, cause dizziness, confusion, sleepiness and you getting clumsy.'' She cited on. 'And even if you get out of the water, 'prolonged hypothermia may cause organ failure.' Ti's from standard Marine Issue: Safety as Sea. We need to get out of the water.'

She lost focus again and looked at the funny stars until she noticed Zoro was shaking her and yelling in her ear.

'Stay here, Tashigi. Fight the cold!'

She frowned at him, she was tired and didn't like the yelling.

'Mebbe I shan't. Mebbe I should sleep just to spite annoying Roronoa Zoro.' She didn't even tremble anymore. But every part of her body was slow and numb.

Zoro swam on and kept shaking her. She leaned against him and couldn't really remember why she was angry at him.

'Mmm.. you always smell so nice.' She mumbled. 'Even here. Like swords and...' Something fluttered past her eyes. She blinked a couple of times.

''Yeah, nice like...' She continued. 'Steel and...Seagulls!'

'What?' It came from behind her.

'Seagulls! Sky seagulls.'

'Yeah, seagulls are usually in the sky. I can see them too.'

'No, no. Understand! Birds keep near land. Islands!'

'So...you think there might be an island where the birds are?'

'S'right. Follow s'gulls. Find tha' direction.'

Her head was swimming with swords and seagulls and she could barely hear some creative swearing behind her. She faintly remembered something about direction, but how hard could it be to follow a couple of birds?

Then she lost consciousness again.

* * *

She woke when she hit the ground hard. She got sand in her mouth and started spitting weakly. Everything was dark around her.

Zoro grabbed her arm and forced her on her legs.

'Come on. We need to get going.' he said dragging her along over the sand.

'Tired.' she complained.

'Yes, but now you should move.'

They stumbled over the dark beach for a while. Tashigi's legs started to get warmer and her muscles became more manageable. But then she started shaking with the cold and she kept falling down in the sand.

At last Zoro picked her up, cradling her in his arms together with their four swords. She placed her arms around his neck, her lips trembling and the rest of her shaking so hard the swords clacked together.

'Wwwwwater.' she stuttered. 'Wwwwe sssshould gget wwwwwater!'

'We just got out of the water?'

'Nnnno. Ffffreshwwwater. Drinking wwater. Ttttoo much sssalt!'

'It's more important to get you warm! Any suggestions.'

'Fffire?' She wondered if there was any wood nearby. 'Or ssshared bbody heat.'

'We start with the last and then I can get a fire going. Lets get out of the wind.'

He went between darker shapes, trees. Getting on and further in. She noticed that there was less wind there.

Suddenly the world tumbled and the swordsman and his charge rushed downward. Zoro quickly grabbed her tighter and regained his balance, then they landed with a small splash.

'...I found some water.' he said.

'Good, let mmmme ddown.'

'It's cold, maybe you should wait.'

'No. Water ffffirst. Then wwarmth and ssssleep.' She got down to the water and tasted it carefully. It seemed to be freshwater and clean, and very, very cold indeed. She got Zoro to drink too. Then he dragged her up the brink and towards a large tree. He sat down placing the swords nearby and then he pulled her into his lab and placed his arms around her. She buried her face in his neck warming her cold lips and nose on his skin.

'My coat is wet, but you think it would help?'

'S'long it don't touch. Water steals warmth.' She whispered back. 'Really should get out clothes off too.'

He draped his coat over her head and spread it out creating a damp tent. She placed her cold hands flat on his body trying to get them warm. Then she felt sleep washing over her and she numbly gave in.


	3. Fish 'n' Chips

**Fish 'n' Chips**

She woke op warm. A sunny warmth caressed her back and in front of her, the deep warmth of a fire were crisping her skin.

A pile of fresh grass and leaves pillowed her head. She huddled closer to the fire for a while, her body was still lethargic and slow and her head ached. She looked into the fire loosing her thoughts in the hypnotic flickering of the flames.

As sound that was not from the crackling fire, made her look up. On the other side of the fire Zoro sat with his usual stern face and half frown.

He was half naked in the sun and she couldn't stop herself from noticing that or how his scars was standing out so strikingly white in the bright light. He seemed to be working some maintenance on one of the swords. Salt water's bad for steel, Tashigi remembered. She hoped he'd got the salt off.

He looked up and saw she was awake.

'How are you?' He asked.

'Tried, but OK I think.'

'No organ failure?' He frowned.

'Uh, no.' She laughed. 'I would probably be dying right now if that was the case.'

'Good.' He went back to the sword and finished whatever he was doing, and then went to work on the next.

She fiddled with some grass nervously and tried to stop herself from staring at him, and how his muscles moved under his skin with those composed and precise movements. She felt at blush coming, scolded herself and looked away. She got back to herself and the fire looking at the bruises on her arms and legs. Then she realized she was half naked too. Only in her underwear!

'Where is my clothes!' She demanded. While trying to crouch down and cover herself.

Zoro looked up at her with a puzzled frown. Then he nodded at some point behind her.

'There. Drying in the sun.' He said and went back to his work again.

She looked around. Most of their clothes were placed flat on the ground in a sunny spot. She scrambled over and fumbled for her shirt. It was still damp but she started getting it on anyway.

'You shouldn't have taken my clothes off. It's not decent.' She complained, yelling.

Zoro looked at her again.

'Decent? You were cold and you said that...' He yelled at her.

'No matter what I said!' She snapped back at him while forcing her pants on too.

'I didn't ruin them or cut them off!' He retorted, raising his voice even more and glaring back at her.

'That's not the point! The point is you shouldn't undress unconscious girls!' She crossed her arms.

'But we've...' He stopped when he caught her glare.

He scowled and she saw him gritting his teeth. Then he picked up two swords and started to walk away angrily, not bothering to get his own clothes.

'Are you just leaving?' She screamed after him. But stopped herself when she heard the shrill pitch.

'I'm getting us something to eat. There's plenty fish in the sea.' He went on between the trees and deeper into the forest.

She looked after him for a moment and then called.

'Zoro! Ocean's that way, you can hear the waves breaking.' She pointed and continued. 'The brook runs towards the sea, follow it back to get here again.'

He turned without a comment and went in the right direction.

She went over to the other two swords and secured Shigure back to what she thought as Her side of the fire. She noticed that it was Sandai Kitetsu he'd left behind. Some part of her was slightly relieved that he didn't use a cursed sword to get their food.

She got herself together and nervously she gave Shigure a once over. Her blade seemed fine and it didn't smell of seawater. She guessed he had placed the blades in the brook to get the salt out of them.

Then she examined the rest of her clothes. Her boots and Marine jacket was still very wet. She placed her boots closer to the fire and turned her jacket around to get dried on the other side. After a little consideration she went and turned Zoro's clothes around too. She found her glasses in one of his pockets, along with a few coins and small roll of waxed thread. One of the lenses had a broken line but they were still usable.

She put them on and looked around noticing her surroundings for the first time. She seemed to be in a little clearing in a hardwood forest but she saw a few pines not far away. Everything was very green and lush. Actually, everything was green. The tree trunks had a green tint and she couldn't see any flowers. The underbrush weren't very dense and it was green too. She went to the brook for water and it seemed as green as anything else. Not that the water was green, but the sand of the brink and the small pebbles she found, had a greenish sheen. She wondered if the sand on the beach was green too and started to follow the brook towards the ocean.

Walking towards the sound of waves, she suddenly noticed the unique smell of Beach roses. Some of the nearby brush looked like the prickly wickerwork of Beach roses, but she couldn't see any flowers. Then she realized, there were flowers but they were green too. She got closer and looked at the lovely green rosy smelling flowers. There were rose hips around too. She picked a large hip, Beach Tomato, she remembered her Grandmother used to call them, it was a little darker than the others. She tried it carefully. It tasted ripe. Green flowers, she pondered. Green sand and stones and ripe but still green fruit. And it was still warm and the leaves were freshly green.

Then she yawned and realized how tired she was.

She picked more Beach Tomatoes, goring after softness of the fruit and the darkness of its skin.

She went back to the small clearing with their fire and placed her pickings somewhere noticeably.

She laid down on her grass and leaves pillow. A pillow even. She sighed. Roronoa Zoro was a very nice man, when nobody was looking, obviously.

Tiredly she lifted herself to placed a few more branches in the fire and then she let herself sleep.

* * *

She was woken by a crash of falling logs. Zoro had just landed a big pile of firewood by their fire. He was kneeling down and started logging more wood onto the fire. He cast one look at her and then he concentrated on the fire. He was obviously still angry. He'd gotten his pants on but nothing else and he'd got some scratches either from fishing or the underbrush. Around them it was getting dark. Tashigi go up and found her glasses.

'Any luck?' She asked.

'Nothing to do with luck.' He answered and nodded towards two fish both as large as a man. 'Done that many times.'

He continued piling wood and then he took one of the fish and placed it on the newly arranged fire. Tashigi got up and snatched the fish away.

'What are you doing?' she demanded.

'Cooking fish.'

'Like this? Just burning it, not even removing the innards?'

'It works.' Zoro shrugged.

She shook her head annoyed and then went and picked up the other fish.

'I don't suppose you have a knife?' she asked him.

'I've got three swords!'

'Not very useful for cleaning fish.' She sighed and got Shigure.

Then she went to the brook again and cleaned out the fishes leaving the offal on the brink. They could either use it later for bait or some animals would find it. She noticed how much she rejoiced in some color from then innards, in all the green. She got back and found a stick to arrange the fire with. Then she waited.

'When are you going to cook the fish?' Zoro asked after a while.

'When we get some embers to cook on.'

That takes a while.' He looked hungrily at the fishes.

'Look, you can get one and either eat it raw or cook it your way. Or you can wait.'

Zoro shrugged again. Then he went up and found his clothes. He put them on, sat his swords and himself against a tree and went to sleep. Tashigi ignored him and continued with the embers and the fish.

When she deemed the food ready she found a small log and threw it at the swordsman. He got two swords out without opening his eyes, cleaved the log and got to his feet before the log pieces fell to the ground. He looked around alert.

'Impressive.' Tashigi said. 'Dinner's ready.'

Zoro grumbled something but went over by the fire. They ate in silence. Zoro had one whole fish and more than half of the other, but Tashigi still managed to feel full. She found the rose hips and got the swordsman to eat half, even though he tried to eat the whole the first time. Everything was worth expression, when he got to the itching fluff inside the tasty fruit meat, until Tashigi showed him how to eat around it.

When they had finished and cleaned up Tashigi rearranged and build the fire and laid down beside it again. It was finally getting real dark instead of just dusky and she was getting tired again and cold. She didn't want to feel cold ever again. She got up to move closer to the fire and sat there looking into the flames.

'I think were on a Spring Island and it's autumn.' She said. 'And looking at the trees, the mix of hardwood and pines, it seems like the type we call temperate humid oceanic zone.'

'Sounds right to me.' Zoro mumbled.

'We're lucky it's autumn here, then we can get more fruits and berries and maybe nuts.' She yawned. 'But the nights will be a little cold.'

'We can keep warm.' Zoro said.

'Mm. I wonder if the animals are green too. Might be. I haven't seen any but they could be camouflaged.'

'We need to find out how to get back to out ships.' Zoro said, interrupting her thoughts about the island.

'Mm.' She nodded. He was right. They needed to find out where they were and get back to their crews. Both Smoker and the Straw hats were probably worried. She yawned again and laid down.

'But lets wait until tomorrow.' She said. 'Tomorrow we can find out if the island is inhabited and how large it is and then decide what to do.'

Zoro nodded and then got up and gathered hits swords. Then he got went to her side of the fire and crouched down looking at her, his face back to it's usually stern blankness. She raised herself looking questioningly at him.

'It was cold last night.' He said. 'And, as you said, it will be cold tonight too.'

She nodded.

'So.' he continued slowly. 'We better keep each other warm, until we find some blankets.'

She stiffened a little but nodded again.

He arranged his swords around them and then laid down behind her keeping her closest to the fire. Then he covered them both with his coat.

She lay rigid for a while, but when the swordsman stopped moving and seem to sleep she slowly began to relax. She reached out for Shigure and hugged the sword to her. She fell asleep like that, curled around her sword.

* * *

A/N Nearly drowning and hypothermia is very bad for the system. If the temperature in the organs get under 308 Kelvin, they stop functioning and die. The only reason Zoro isn't having any trouble from their ordeal is because he's such a crazy awesome bad ass!


	4. The Land Aokusa

**The Land Aokusa**

The first task of the morning was to get up. Not to wake up, but to get up from under the heavy swordsman, who had decided to use her as teddy bear in his sleep. While she fought herself out of his bear hug she played a small chant in her head: This means nothing, and I don't even like it. This means nothing, and I don't even like it.

The next thing she did was cleaning up a little in the brook. Not that she was worried of her looks, but her scalp had been getting more and more itchy from the saltwater. Then she got her almost dry Marine jacket and scavenged the area for any edibles using the jacked for carrying. She went to the beach first, for seaweed, trying to find the fresh and less slimy weeds. She found more ripe green Beach Tomatoes, ripe dark green blackberries. And, when she got tired of fighting thorns for berries, she searched and finally found some hazelnuts that had a polished green look if ripe. She'd hoped for some blackcurrants but she guessed that they needed a bit more sun. Gathering the nuts she suddenly saw a small movement. She looked up and starred into the black eyes of a little green squirrel.

'The animals is indeed green too.' she mumbled to herself as the squirrel scurried away.

She got back to the sparse campsite and considered how to wake the swordsman. She'd seen both Nami and Luffy kick him in the head to wake him up, but she didn't think she could do that. She resorted to the 'hauling a log' option that worked before and got rewarded with an angry glare.

'Is that really necessary?' he growled at her.

'I found some breakfast. Lets eat and then look around the island.' she said as calmly as she could.

'No meat?' Zoro asked looking unhappy at the berries.

'I thought we should get going. We might find some people and real food.' she explained.

Zoro shrugged and started on the breakfast, going after the blackberries rather than the rose hips.

Tashigi got her boots on, they were almost dry, and cleaned up the campsite making sure the last embers of their fire couldn't flare up again. Then they both donned their swords and walked down the beach. In silent agreement they had Tashigi taking the lead.

She looked at the beach. The beach sand had a green tint too.

'It really is an all green island.' she said. 'I saw a green animal earlier. And the flowers, and the earth. It's a little weird.'

'Seen weirder island.'

'Maybe. The grass green color is really petty though.'

'Beautiful Aokusa,

So Green and Fertile

Forever Lost.' Zoro recited from behind her.

She turned around.

'What was that?'

'Just something I read once.' He answered shrugging. 'Come on lets get going.'

'One moment.' She said and went and raised a branch in the sand and piled some stones around it.

'Now we can recognize the place if we get all around the island.' She explained. And then they both started walking along the beach.

'How do you know all that stuff about plants and survival? Is it something you learn in the Marine?' Zoro asked when they had walked for a while.

'I...My Grandmother has... had a farm. We used to look at plants and flowers together and she taught me to camp out too. And I always new I wanted to travel, so I've read a lot of books about the island types and climates and that kind of thing.' She answered.

'You can't learn everything from books.' Zoro commented.

'I know that! That's why I wanted to actually travel and collect the real swords. And at least I know something about finding and making food, compared to others who apparently just relies on their strength.' She snapped back at him.

She turned away from him and increased her pace walking on the wet sand close to the waves.

They walked for approximately two hours before taking a break. Or rather Tashigi had a break. Zoro found a plain spot and started exercising with his swords. She looked at his work, envying some of his focus. She'd lost a part of her dreams lately, getting disappointed of the Marine and using all her time working politics with Smoker, instead of searching for ancient swords and helping people by doing Justice. It hadn't helped that the most honorably people she knew next to Smoker, were a bunch of annoying pirates.

She rubbed her eyes. The greenness everywhere was a little hard. It felt like going blind for any other color. And the swordsman weren't helping. The only non-green around seemed to be her own hair and clothes. She got up and continued along the beach. After some minutes Zoro caught up with her.

'Why didn't you tell me we were leaving.' He demanded in a raised voice.

'You were busy. And I knew you could catch up.' She shrugged, ignoring him.

'What if something happened?' He grumbled.

'If something happens I have a sword that I'm perfectly capably of using.' she stated flatly.

They continued in silence. The weather was balmy fresh and the waves gently rolling. The island sported a soft beach and the lush forest was growing all the way to the beach only separated with gently slopes of dark green earth and soft green sand. The few animals they saw were green and small. At some point a range of rocks and cliffs intersected the forest and beach, running from the middle of the island and out into the sea. They climbed the green rocks, Tashigi ignoring Zoro's tries to help her. On the top of one boulder Tashigi stopped and looked into the island. The rocks cut cross the island creating treeless meadows in the center of the island. The island didn't look very big and they still hadn't seen any sign of other people.

'Are you going back to the Marine?' Zoro asked from right behind her.

She yelped in surprise and took a wrong step the tilted her downward. Zoro caught her casually.

'What? Well ...yes? What do you mean?' She answered perturbed.

'If we find people...Are you going to turn me in?' He asked calmly.

She looked back at him. If they found people they were a pirate and a Marine. Her jacket was pretty easy to recognize and Zoro's wanted poster was all over Grand Line. It was her duty to do something about him. But still...

'I...you saved my life! We'll decide what to do when we find people, but I promise that I'll not expose you.'

'And if we don't find anyone? We'll need to get off this island. I have to get back to Luffy and the others.' He said and started climbing down again.

'Well, if this island is not detected by a log pose, the usual thing to do is make a fire and hope a ship will notice. Or make a raft and try our luck getting to a inhabited island. Hey...don't!' She answered and complained when Zoro lifted her down the last steep cliff and back onto the beach.

'We'll been walking for what...four hours?' Zoro asked ignoring her complaints.

Tashigi looked at the sky calculating the passage of the sun.

'Yes, about four hours.'

'I'll get us some fish to eat. We can't be going on like this on berries.' He said. 'Find wood for a fire.' And then he jumped out on the rocks in the water and as far out as he could.

She opened her mouth to yell after him, but then stomach grumbled. Reluctantly she started collecting driftwood, branches and brushwood. She looked around the beach for stones thinking of using Shigure to create sparks for a fire. Zoro interrupted her by standing in front of her throwing a large fish in her arms. Then he said by her pile of wood and hefted two swords.

'Two Sword Fire Trick.' He send her a small grin and then moved his swords together a complicated pattern. The swords clang together and from the brushwood a fire erupted. Tashigi shrugged at him and went down to the water to clean out the fish. Then she busied herself with cooking the fish and Zoro seemingly went to sleep.

When the food was ready she looked at the sleeping swordsman, then she began to reach out for a piece of wood. An arm snaked out and caught her wrist.

'Don't!' Zoro said waking up. 'It's annoying!'

'Let me go.'

'Are you going to throw anything at me?'

'Fish, if you don't let me go!'

He released her.

They ate the fish in an hurry and then went up and on.

After walking another hour, they saw a small stream erupting from the woods. Tashigi hurried up en got to the stream. The branch with stones around she had raised earlier was standing in front of her. They were back at the small brook.

'Well, now we know that the island takes about five hours to walk around and it have only one freshwater source. If there's anybody living here, they'd live further in, but probably close to the freshwater.'

'I don't think there's anybody living here.' Zoro answered. 'We should start working on a raft or a few logs to paddle on.'

'I'm tired.' Tashigi said. 'Let's start making a large fire on the beach. We can start building a proper raft tomorrow. One with pontoons and a place of collecting freshwater and an actual chance of surviving on.'

Zoro shrugged and started collecting wood for a fire. She helped him until he asked her to go back to the campsite and do her berry finding thing. She followed the brook and found some. On the campsite she found a few embers left and rekindled the fire.

She looked around their campsite. It was a good place. Close to the sea and fresh water and the clearing was sunny. She made a decision and started working on a small shelter. Looking for pine branched for the shelters roof she found an apple tree. The apples were small and all green. She picked one of the largest. It smelled like apple. She took a bite. The was fresh and crisp and extremely sour. But food was food and they needed vitamins with all that fish.

When Zoro finally found his way back to their campsite, she was covering the bottom of her shelter with spongy moss and grass. He looked around and placed the fish near the fire. Then he went and got more firewood. Tahsigi prepared the fish and filled them with skewered sour apples. Then she packed the fish in burdock leaves and placed her creation in the embers. It was getting dark while they worked around the campsite with various small tasks. They ate in silence. Tashigi considered trying to wash her clothes, they were stiff and a little uncomfortable. But she thought it best to wait until the next day.

Zoro sat by the fire looking into it grimly and fiddling with his swords. The silence became thicker and thicker.

'Where...' Tashigi began. 'Where did you get that large scar from?'

He looked up at her

'Mihawk.' He said. 'To teach me a lesson.'

'What did you lean?' she asked.

'To get stronger and faster and even more determined.' He said calmly. 'But I didn't rally understand fully before I got my second lesson.'

'What do you mean?' Tashigi frowned.

He pointed out two more scars and then send her a shark-like smile.

'But this time I really understood.' He grinned. 'And next time I meet him I'll win.'

'I always wanted to see Kokuto Yoru.' She just commented. 'It is one of the 12 Saijo O Wazamono Swords,'

Zoro shrugged.

'You can have it when I defeat Mihawk.' He promised, but with no sign of bragging.

When it got fully dark she moved to her shelter and burrowed down in the moss and grass, creating a small nest around her and placed Shigure by her head. Zoro came over and looked at her.

She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. They shouldn't have to go through this every time. The most sensible thing was to share sleeping area and warmth.

'You...' She started. 'You can sleep here. Keep me warm.' She moved at little making space for the swordsman and his swords. She curled up waiting while Zoro made space for himself in her nest and again using his coat as blanked for both of them.

The night was dark and still only interrupted by small flickers from their fire and their own breath.

'How are you?' Zoro asked suddenly from behind her.

'I'm fine, just tired and cold.' She answered.

An arm twined around her waist and dragged her close to the warm body behind her.

'Go to sleep.' Zoro said, his voice just over her head.

She nodded and tried to relax and finally sleep found her.

* * *

A/N Aokusa is approximately 50 sq Km. Average walking pace for humans is 5 km/h in flat terrain, lesser on beaches or other uneven areas. But trained people has a faster pace, so they'd easily walk 25 km in 5 hours on a beach.

25km/Ø = d and d=2r

Island areal: ((25km/Ø)/2)^2*π~ 50 sq Km


	5. Badgering a Badger

**Badgering a Badger**

The next day they had a big row about building rafts. Zoro wanted to finish something as fast as possible so he could get back to his Captain and the rest of his crew. Tashigi wanted to use more time and make something more steady for two people on a stormy sea. At last Tashigi found herself folding her arms and tapping her feet in the sand and demanding that they either did it her way or Zoro could leave the island immediately on a few collected logs.

The angry Swordsman looked impatient at the sea. Then he gritted his teeth and asked what she wanted him to do.

She went down in the stand and started making a diagram.

'Just tell me what to do.' Zoro stopped her.

'Oh.' She stopped. 'Well. We'll start with two tree trunks as pontoons and then place a carrying raft on them. Can you cut down two oaks and get them here?'

'If you tell me which tree is an oak.' He said.

She got up and they went into the woods to find raft materials.

The stopped twice when Tashigi found herbs, first Zoro was growling impatiently as she collected peppermint leaves. When she stopped in a clearing and happily collected thyme Zoro was shaking his head at her, and then he sat down and tried to go to sleep.

'I'm just trying to make acceptable food.' Tashigi huffed at him.

He opened one eye.

'Why do you bother? You can never make anything as good as Sanji, so we just need to eat to get energy.'

She turned back to the herbs and away from him a little hurt.

'I didn't know you liked Sanji's food. You didn't seem to care a lot.'

'Of course I care. He's a genius in a kitchen.' Zoro explained. 'But everybody tells him that, he needs one or two people who don't admire him so he'll still try pleasing them.'

She went over and sat down beside him.

'You actually like Sanji?' She asked.

Zoro shrugged and frowned a little.

'You two are always fighting and yelling but you like it, don't you?' She continued.

Zoro opened both his eyes and send her his small Zoro smile that was almost unnoticeable in his usually stern face.

'Someone needs to keep Sanji on his toes.' He said. 'Else he'll get in too much trouble, especially when there's pretty girls around.'

'That's why I liked the Sunny.' She said. 'You all care so much for each other. And for people you meet.'

'You know you're welcome to join us.' He said and looked at her with a weird expression. 'But then you'll have to leave the Marine, Ensign Tashigi.'

She felt uneasy with him looking like that.

'Smoker needs me more than Luffy do.' She said after a while. 'He's working on bringing more right and Justice back into the Marine. Politics, but still...'

Zoro stopped her by grabbing her suddenly. He hushed at her as she opened her mouth.

'Keep you movements slow and look behind.' He whispered.

Slowly they turned around. She saw a wild boar in the middle of the clearing. It had dark green bristles and was big, gigantic, and taller than a man over its back. It grunted and continued rummaging around the ground for something to eat.

They tried to get up slowly, but something caught the boar's attention. It looked at them, then it roared and started running towards them. Tashigi felt like the world stopped as the mountain of muscles stampeded towards them. The raging face and green fur filled her whole vision.

Then Zoro got in front of her swords out attacking the animal. It was a short fight and the boar soon lay still and bloody in the thyme.

Zoro was grinning madly cleaning up his swords. Tashigi tired to stop shaking.

'We'll have meat today.' Zoro said happily and then frowned. 'What's wrong?'

'I froze.' She answered. 'I am trained and have a sword, but I froze!'

'Can happen to anyone. I was here and nothing happened. Can you do the cleaning part on pigs too?' Zoro shrugged.

Tashigi got herself together and nodded.

'Family on a farm, remember? But I shouldn't freeze in this kind of situation.' She said. 'Lets get the boar back to our campsite.'

'What about the tree trunks?' Zoro asked at he hefted the large animal over one shoulder and started walking in a random direction.

'We get them when we've taken care of this.' She decided. 'The skin's good for making leather strings we can use on the raft. And if we're careful we can get the meat to keep. Come on, our campsite is this way.'

Tashigi had Zoro help her skinning and gutting the boar. The spread the skin out well away from the campsite. She hung the meat on sharpened sticks and had Zoro lift her up so she could balance then on the tree branches, well out of the reach on any predators. A little regretful she chopped up rest of the entails and they threw them in the sea to attract fish to their part of the coast. They ate the raw and still warm liver for lunch, Zoro a little doubtful of her claims that it was both healthy and tasted good. At last she prepared the other cleanable entails to be cooked for dinner.

After lunch they went back between the trees and finally found a suitable oak tree. Zoro looked at the tree and then unsheathed two swords. He concentrated on the tree for a while and then slashed at bottom of the trunk with a forceful blow. Then he stepped back.

'Don't you think...' Tashigi started.

The tree trembled and then fell over. It was severed from it's root with a clean cut. Tashigi shrugged and then had Zoro carrying it to the beach.

Having a man with an insane focus on being strong, was rather convenient when marooned on a lone island, she mused as she saw him drag the whole tree down to the beach.

They found another tree and it was cut down in the same manner.

Zoro started to drag it away, firstly in the wrong direction, they were stopped by some squeaky complaints from around the felled trees top. They went over and looked around. Hidden under some brush that had been disturbed by the fallen tree a small green animal scolded them. It had grass green fur on the body and dark green legs. The head was a mint green with two dark green bands from snout and over the eyes to the back of its head. It wasn't fully grown, one of the sides was bloody and it hissed at them.

'I think we've found a green badger cub.' Tashigi said. 'And it seems to be hurt.'

'What do we do about it.' Zoro asked.

'The merciful thing would be to kill it so it dies immediately. I don't think it'll survive on its own.'

'Kill it?' Zoro said perplexed. 'But it's just a cub!'

Tashigi shrugged.

'Nature's hard and young animals dies all the time. Being a kid just makes you more vulnerable.' She explained.

She saw Zoro stiffen and then he reached out for the badger cub and lifted it from its hiding place. The ungrateful cub bit him, but he didn't seem to care.

'What are you doing?'

'We'll help it.' He said in a determined voice.

'You'll need to nurse it and take care of its wounds and feed it for the next couple of months you know! It's too young to take care of itself.' Tashigi said.

'Kids shouldn't die when there's someone who can do something about it!' The swordsman said grimly. He placed the mewling and snapping cub inside his coat and then lifted the other tree. Tashigi sighed but didn't argue. They could take time to tent to the little creature.

They got it back to the beach aside the other tree trunk and then Zoro insisted that they should take care of the badger cub.

Tashigi told Zoro to hold the biting creature as she cleaned its wounds. It turned out to be only a large gash in the side and a small gash in a broken front paw. The did her best with bandages made from Zoro's coat and sticks used as braces. She made a poultice of peppermint and thyme for the wounds. She didn't know if it would help but it couldn't harm.

'He might still die from an infection.' She said as she cut out some boar meat for the cub to eat.

'But at least we have tried then.' Zoro said and started feeding the badger.

'You've just killed a boar early today and you are wanted for fights and damage on both persons and whole cities. Shouldn't you be more hard and cynical?' She asked shaking her head.

'That's different. The boar was grown and it attacked us, and people can always stop fighting me if they want.' Zoro mumbled. 'This one need not die. To many kids die.'

'This is going to slow the raft building down.' Tashigi said while walking towards the brook.

'This is more important.' Zoro said still feeding the cub. 'Luffy will understand.'

Tashigi sighed and then went to get some water and look to the boar skin. She didn't know how to tan leather but she guessed the skin would keep for a few days and when it was cut into cords and used for the raft, the saltwater would help keeping it. Coming back to the camp she found the swordsman sitting very still in the sunlight with a sleeping badger cub in his lap.

'If I had a camera now, I'd make sure that your next wanted poster, will be a lot less intimidating than you current ones.' She commented hiding a smile. Zoro just glared at her and kept still. She busied herself with their dinner.

She brought Zoro his part of their dinner and sat down beside him to eat. When they'd finished she asked.

'This is about your dead friend, isn't it?'

'That's none of your business.' Zoro growled.

'I think it is.' She replied angrily. 'I'm helping you nursing that cub back to health, which I think you want to do it because you feel bad about someone's death. And the fact that you dislike me for looking like her makes it very much my business.'

Zoro opened his mouth angrily but stopped himself and looked away.

'I do not dislike you. It's a little unnerving, but you only remind me of her on the outside. I don't want to talk about it.'

'Was she good with swords.' Tashigi asked.

Zoro frowned angrily at her but gave in.

'She always beat me. She was a little older than me and the heir to the dojo. But she was the only one better than me.' He said quietly. 'She didn't believe she'd continue getting better because she was a girl. I told her that was bullshit, and that I'd be looking forward to fight her when she was the best in the world and I would try to be the best myself. Then she died in a stupid accident.'

He looked away. Tashigi lifted her hand unsure if she should try to comfort him. The he suddenly looked at her.

'Wado Ichimonji that you've been wanting to take from me, belonged to her. I got it from Sensei, her father, after the burial.'

Then Zoro got up and placed the badger cub in her arms.

'I'll go training. Don't wait up.' He said and left.

Tashigi placed the still sleeping cub in their shelter and busied herself around the campsite. She felt a little bad about herself not really knowing why. At last she went to sleep, curling up with the cub in the nest of moss and grass.

She was half asleep when the swordsman returned. She only barely noticed him getting into their shelter and looking at her and the badger. Then she felt him get down beside her and dragging her close. One arm was gently eased under her head and the other around her waist. A loose thought of waking up and scolding him moved slowly through her head, but then she felt deeper into her sleep.


	6. Nesting Material

**Nesting Material**

The next three days they worked a little on the raft and a lot on the little badger. Zoro could somehow always find some meat pieces around his person for a little complaining cub and Tashigi was happy to see that her doctoring was helping. Soon the barely healed creature was humping around and curiously biting everything it found and did its best to interrupt when they were busy elsewhere.

Tashigi was happy to discover that the cub liked to be clean and was inclined to use the same latrine as the humans.

But being forced to camp out with no soap and only swords were still taking its toll. And at day three she deemed it necessary to mix rose flowers and herbs into their bedding, while complaining pointedly about having to share a shelter with two animals. That got Zoro to reluctantly take off most of his clothes and give it to her for washing. Then he and the cub went to the beach for some thorough cleaning up. Tashigi cleaned all their clothe the best she could and then laid Zoro's clothes to dry out at their campsite.

She went closer into the island an found another clearing where she practiced with Shigure half naked, while waiting for the cloth to dry in the sun. She stopped training when she remembered a certain sword magazine that she'd been flipping through by accident. It had contained a lot of scantly clad girls doing some rather explicit training with big swords.

She got her clothes on when it was almost dry and then went for apples. She got back to their campsite with her arms full of fruits and found a half naked and sleeping green haired swordsman with a sleeping green furred badger sprawled across him. She smiled and then threw Zoro's clothes to him. He woke but didn't move, trying not to disturb the cub.

'You have been adopted.' Tashigi said. 'He probably believe you're his mommy.'

'Don't be stupid. I'm not his mother.'

'Well, actually it makes sense.' Tashigi explained. 'Aokusa was once a large island inhibited by a fierce and proud green warrior people, who lived in harmony with the islands green giant pigs and terrible green badgers. When the land sank the people left and the greenness of their skin was lost. But they still kept their green hair, bad temper and their intimate connection with the homelands wildlife.'

Zoro snorted something and got up and let the complaining cub down.

'That's not funny.' He said while putting his clothes one. Tashigi felt a small flicker of resentment watching him put his clothes one, but she pushed it away and continued her argument.

'Oh yes it is. And you must be the Mommy because you're taking care of him, feeding him and nursing him. I can only be the Daddy, coming home and scolding every now and then.'

Zoro sent her a glare and she felt herself start smiling.

'Well. Then Daddy can stay home and look after the little one. I'll get some fish.' Zoro said and got Wado Ichimonji and a primitive fishing rod he'd made with thinly carved boar skin and thorns.

Tashigi smiled after the swordsman. He'd left in the wrong direction but she was sure he'd find the beach at some point. The cub waddled over to her and she let it onto her lap.

'Your Mommy likes to fish.' She said while scratching it behind its ears. 'Which is very fine and honorably. According to one of the greatest Sword smiths a true gentleman can have three worthwhile hobbies: Sword fighting, Fishing and Poetry. And I've head hem recite poetry too, so I guess you Mommy is a true gentleman.'

The cub didn't comment and Tashigi found herself looking wistfully in the direction Zoro had left.

'Sometimes I wish that he was a little less of a gentleman and a little more of a pirate.' She confided to the cub. 'But don't tell him that!'

The cub just grunted a little and wriggled around so she could scratch it under the chin. That was too cute and it made her smile.

'We really need to find you a name.' she said.

She fed the cub apple pieces and then she went over to the two swords Zoro had left behind. She had been itching after taking a closer look at them but hadn't gotten around to do that. She felt a little bad about touching his blades without asking, but she didn't really think that he'd mind.

She went for Shusui first. She examined the sword carefully admiring the fine work. She wondered where he'd gotten it from and sighed enviously. She didn't really think she'd ever win the Swordsman's blades from him, so she could give them so someone more worthy. On the other hand she hadn't really seen him do anything unworthy. She read about some devious acts that other people claimed was his work and he had been a bounty hunter, but he was not one anymore. She let Shusui down and picked up Kitetsu remembering how he'd won it.

'Stupid Swordsman.' she mumbled.

She looked the sword over wishing she had her books with her. Then she drew it to look at the steel. She handed very carefully but somehow the blade twisted and she nicked herself on the sharp edge.

'Kitetsu is not very nice.' Zoro said from behind her and took the blade out her hands. He handed her one of the bandaged they'd used for the badger cub.

'We have an understanding, he and I.' Zoro continued while helping her wrap the bandage around her hand. 'But he'll still make trouble whenever he can.'

'I don't understand why you'll use a sword like that one.' Tashigi said.

'Maybe because I like to make trouble too.' Zoro said grinning shortly.

'I'm happy I've got Shigure.' Tashigi said reaching after her own sword with her other hand. 'It...she is very sensible and trustworthy.'

'Just like you.' Zoro said looking at her and finishing the bandage. 'You two are very beautiful together.'

Tashigi stopped moving and felt her face grow hot. Zoro was still holding her hand but she saw him blushing too, as he realized what he'd said and he let go of her hand is if it burned. He got up hurriedly.

'Show me how to clean the fish.' he asked then.

She nodded and got up, her heart still pounding in her ears.

Going to sleep awkwardness was back at square one. Both Tashigi and Zoro was very careful about placing their hands and how close they got. The badger cub that had gotten used to sleeping across both of them under Zoro's coat, complained and waddled around unhappy. At last Tashigi decided it was stupid and got hold of the swordsman and pushed herself closely into him.

'I'm cold.' She explained and buried her face in by his neck.

Hesitantly he wrapped his arms around her. The badger cub jumped on top on them happily and fell asleep immediately. They were still for a while.

'Zoro.' Tashigi asked. 'Do you regret what happened at the Sunny last night before Pidgentown?'

'Only when I wake up and you're not there.' He answered softly.

She moved a little to look at his face in the dark.

'Why did you make me angry and chase me away then?' She whispered.

'I didn't want you to give up everything and become a pirate just because of me.' He said after a while.

'I still don't want to become a pirate.' She said. 'But if...'

'Don't!' He stopped her. 'I know. Now go to sleep.'

* * *

The next day she got back to the campsite she found the badger cub dragging Wado Ichimonji around. She hurried over and grabbed the animal and eased the sword out of its mouth.

'Zo-chan!' She scolded. 'No nibbling on ancient artifacts!'

'Zo-chan?' Zoro asked from the other end of the camp.

'Yes. I've decided to name him after his Mommy.' Tashigi teased. 'You two are so much alike.'

'We're not!' Zoro glared at her.

'Of course you are.' She retorted happily. 'You are both bad tempered and green furred. Both of you either eat, sleep or fight and you tent to walk around before your wounds are properly healed. You're both fiercely loyal and you both insist on sleeping in my bed, more or less on top of me.'

She saw him blush before he stomped away.

She gave Zo-chan a thorough look over and noticed satisfied the wounds were nearly closed and there was no sign of infection. Then she fed the cub while looking at Shigure absentmindedly. Then she took the cub with her and went foraging.

She walked carefully thought the woods. They'd discovered that the boar clan on Aokusa had piglets and therefore decided to refrain from getting pork meat. So she had to keep away and not disturb the large green animals.

They rested in the sun between thyme and grass. She fed Zo-chan fruit and berries and then let the cub sprawl over her legs and fall asleep. She was tired herself. No mater what, she had not been able to fully sleep until it was very late. Judging from the Swordsman's breathing he'd had the same problem.

'You know Zo-chan.' She said. 'I'm beginning to think that both your Mommy and Daddy are very stupid and stubborn.'

She sighed, started nuzzling the small green badger ears and dozed off in the sun.

When she woke up she picked up the sleeping badger and went down on the beach. First she went out in the water and gathered some more fresh seaweed and then she walked along the beach trailing Zo-chan. She knew Zoro had set up a training area in that direction but went on anyway.

They found him working with some tree trunks and boulders that he lifted repeatedly. Zo-chan chattered happily and ran to the swordsman. He stopped his exercise and crouched down to the cub rubbing its ears and feeding it meat chunks. He looked at her once and then he ignored her. Tashigi sat down where Zoro had placed his swords. She picked up Wado Ichimonji and examined it idly. Zoro gave Zo-chan something to play with and went back to his exercises.

Tashigi felt herself make at decision and things started fluttering in her stomach. She went over to the trunk Zoro was pushing up and down with one arm. She jumped up on it at sat looking at him. He send her a frown but didn't seem to mind the extra load.

'You're a very stupid man, you know that?' She asked and was rewarded with a glare.

'That's okay.' She continued. 'I can be very stupid too!'

'What do you want?' He demanded but didn't stop his exercise.

'Zoro...We both live very dangerous lives where we can always die in a fight, meeting a stronger opponent or at the sea.'

He stopped and looked up at her.

'I know that. I'm not afraid of dying while trying to follow my dreams.'

'Me neither.' She sighed. And then she bowed down and placed her arms around his neck and let herself glide down. She kept her arms around him.

'But, I want you to think about what memories you'd like to have. What do you want to remember, when Smoker tells you that I died in a fight or got lost?'

He opened his mouth and she took her chance and kissed him softly.

'Do you want memories of not doing anything, because you didn't dare in fear of getting your heart a little more wounded? Or do you want something nicer?' she asked.

They looked at each other. Zoro was blushing and she'd have sworn that he was looking scared too. She went in for another kiss.

'Tashigi.' Zoro stopped her. 'I don't think...'

'Well, that's the problem isn't it?' She let go of him and leaned back against the tree trunk and crossed her arms. 'You don't think! Well maybe that's for the best. Stop thinking and do what the older and wiser people tell you. And right now I tell you to get back to our camp with me and work on making happy memories!'

He looked at her not saying anything. Then he turned away and walked over to his swords. He fastened them carefully and whistled after Zo-chan. The badger cub where places on one shoulder. Then Zoro went back to her and grabbed her head and kissed her fiercely.

'Finally.' She sighed and kissed him back.

He lifted her, kissing her still, and started carrying her back to their campsite with Zo-chan sitting on his shoulder and complaining about their annoying behavior.

The took a detour back, because Tashigi didn't notice which way they were walking and let Zoro lead, but finally they reached their shelter.

Tashigi banished the badger to one corner of the shelter and placed their swords all around them, then she pushed the swordsman back in the bedding. She placed her arms around him.

'No regrets?' She asked. 'Only happy memories?'

'No regrets!' He answered.

And then they went on making memories.

* * *

**Animal Note**:

As Aokusa was build on a Northern European forest, Zo-chan is made over the European Badger, _Meles meles_. Anaguma in Japanese.

The European badger is a social burrowing animal, which lives on a wide variety of plant and animal food. It is very fussy over the cleanliness of its burrow, and defecates in latrines. Cases are known of European badgers burying their dead family members. Although ferocious when provoked, the European badger is generally a peaceful animal, having been known to share its burrows with other species such as rabbits and red foxes.

European badgers are powerfully built animals with small heads, thick, short necks, stocky wedge-shaped bodies and short tails. Their feet are digitigrades and short, with five toes on each foot. The limbs are short and massive, with naked lower surfaces on the feet. The claws are strong, elongated and have an obtuse end, which assists in digging.

There are several accounts of European badgers being tamed. Tame badgers can be affectionate pets, and can be trained to come to their owners when their names are called. They are easily fed, as they are not fussy eaters, and will instinctively unearth rats and young rabbits without training, though they do have a weakness for pork.

I don't know if Zoro's ancestors really where an all green warrior race that comes from Aokusa. A warrior race from and Northern European forest island, would probably be Germanic or Scandinavia in their appearance (think Vikings), and Zoro is very Japanese. So I don't know. But they could have been traveling for a long time and forgotten most of their home. It's up to you!


	7. Making Memories

**Making Memories**

Waking up next morning Tashigi found herself smiling. For the first time in, oh so long, there were reasons to smile. She smiled that the sun was shining, smiled hearing the waves on the beach and she smiled watching her Swordsman sleep with his badger snoring on top of him. She got up and looked at him. He looked less stern and angry when he was sleeping, but he was still frowning slightly. She followed one of his eyebrows with a finger, trying to smooth out the frown and then Zoro opened his eyes. She looked at him and found herself blushing, but he was smiling slightly back at her so she got down again and kissed him. He kissed her back and they both moved and woke the cub. The little badger grumbled at they antics.

'Now now, Zo-chan.' Tashigi laughed. 'We have to share our Swordsman, you now.'

'Do you really have to use that name.' Zoro winced at her, but he still kissed her again.

'That's a perfectly fine name.' She smiled again. 'You can go for Zocha, if that's better for you, but we're not changing it!'

Zoro sighed and let her pull him down in their nest for more kisses.

'So, what are your plans for today?'

'Should go fishing, we need more fresh meat.' Zoro answered.

Tashigi threw up her arms in mocking desperation.

'Food and sword fighting! Is that all you ever think of?' She sighed dramatically.

'Nah.' He send her a grin and dragged her closer again. 'I'm thinking of swords, getting stronger, you, food, swords and you, strength, you, swords and my crew of course. Is that acceptable?'

'Hm...accepted. But do you have to go fishing now?'

'Oh yes.' He said and got up and started looking for his clothes. 'I need to eat and keep up my strength, if I'm to follow your pace in making fond memories.'

Tashigi blushed and then she got up too and found her clothes.

'Okay.' She said. 'But then you have to teach me how of catch fish using swords. And then how you make fire.'

They left Zo-chan on the beach with dried boar meat and sour apples and then Zoro tried to show how he used his swords to get fish. Their fishing ended up in a lot of fooling around in the warm water close to the beach and only a few fish. They fried their breakfast in the dwindling signal fire on the beach.

Tashigi glanced at few times at their raft after eating.

'The boar leather needs to settle. We'll work on it again tomorrow.' She decided and placed herself in Zoro's lap.

'Does it?' He asked. 'It looks fine to me.'

'The raft is almost finished.' She explained keeping her face neutral. 'We really need to give it a day. And we still need to figure how we get some freshwater with us.'

Zoro looked at her, then at the raft and then back at her.

'Yeah. You're right. The leather really needs to settle.'

Tashigi leaned back against him and looked at the horizon.

'I thought you'd have needed more convincing.' She said. 'Thinking of how eager you are getting back to the Sunny.'

'There are more important things than getting back to Luffy and the others.' He answered her.

'Luffy understands the necessity of taking care of sick animals and making memories with your Marine friends?' Tashigi laughed again.

'Probably not about the last thing.' Zoro said slowly. 'Sanji and I really need to sit down with him and explain a few things in a year or two. But he knows that is important to catch up with friends.'

Tashigi smiled and turned around to kiss the Swordsman on his neck.

'Mm. Good idea. Do you want to do a little more catching up now?'

Zoro got up lifting her with him and they found a place with shadows and moss, to catch up.

* * *

'No, no.' Zoro said. 'You're again trying to stop me, when you should be dodging!'

They were training swords and he had her doing the same pattern for the fourth time. Tashigi gritted her teeth.

'But that is the way this parade should be done.' She huffed. 'People would think I'm bad at sword fighting if I make to many mistakes.'

'You're not bad!' He said angrily. 'Don't ever let people tell you bullshit like that!. You and Shigure are better than many I've met. But you could be even better.'

She sighed and grabbed Shigure again.

'Okay try to explain. What is it you want me to do?'

'You try to stop me by blocking Ichimonji.' He explained. 'You shouldn't do that, because you will never be as strong as me...'

'There you go again, telling me I can never be as good as you!' She grumbled at him and turned away.

'You're not listening.' He yelled back. 'You can not be as strong as me! But that's just biology! Getting better than me is to use you own strengths and my weaknesses to win.'

They glared at each other an then Tashigi got back to her position.

'Good.' He sighed. 'As I said. Instead of blocking and being caught by a stronger opponent, you evade, get under my sword and attack me from another angle.'

They began again. Tashigi followed the pattern but remembered to push Zoro's blade away and dodge to get around and attack again. Zoro followed her very fast and urged their sparring on. Tashigi got in a few faints and dodges, then Zoro's free arm suddenly snaked out and caught her around her waist. He dragged her close and kissed her hard.

'You are good.' He grinned.

She smiled back and tripped him up with one leg. The both fell down in the sand working on getting the swords away from their falling bodies. And then she kissed him back just as hard.

'See.' He said after a while. 'I try to be both strong and fast. But you're both lighter and more flexible than me.'

He demonstrated by lifting her up in one arm and then spinning her around. She laughed and grabbed hold on him tightening her arms around his neck.

'Do you want me to be able to beat you?'

'I want you to be able to beat anybody else. There are some really nasty pirates out there.' He said frowning at her. 'Some of them kill just for fun.'

'Don't start getting worried about me!' She said with a nervous smile. 'You're not worried about Usopp or Nami!'

'I won't.' Zoro said still frowning at her. 'But still...Hey stop that you crazy animal!'

Tashigi got up and grabbed the growling Zo-chan, who where fighting one of Zoro's trouser legs.

'Zo-chan is right.' She laughed. 'Daddy and Mommy should stop acting silly and get home and eat.'

They got up and carried the cub back to their campsite. They ate a little and then made sure to sleep even less.

* * *

The next day they reluctantly finished the raft and tried it in the water. It floated fine and the pontoons worked by keeping most of the raft well above the water. Tashigi only complained on its manageability and that they couldn't steer the vessel.

'Can't we just ad a mast?' Zoro suggested.

'We can. But we still don't have a sail. Or freshwater.'

'Can't we at least build something for the freshwater you're complaining so much about?' Zoro asked after a while.

She looked at him despondently.

'Freshwater is important! But I guess we could hollow out another tree trunk and use it for some kind of water through.' She mused.

Zoro nodded and they went into the woods to find a suitably trunk. After a small detour in some of the softer grass, they found a tree that Tashigi thought could be used. Casually he cut down the chosen tree and dragged back to the beach. Tashigi tried to figure out how to hollow a tree with the use of a sword and Zoro followed her various suggestions without much comment. Finally they figured out something that worked had the rough suggestion of a container.

They sat down and looked at their creation.

'I guess it's ready soon.' Tashigi said.

Zoro nodded.

'I...I'll go and make dinner.' Tashigi continued.

Zoro nodded again.

'I'll stay and train.'

Tashigi called after Zo-chan and the badger followed her happily to the campsite.

She felt a little sad about the finished raft. They were still a long way from other people, but it was the beginning of the end. They haven't talked anymore about what to do when finding other people or how to say goodbye. Zoro hadn't asked her to become a pirate again and she knew she'd say no if he asked. She felt something stinging in her eyes.

'Stupid Swordsman.' She mumbled and then busied herself by preparing food.

Zoro came back, as usual not from the direction of the beach, but Tashigi didn't comment on that. She smiled at him, but he just send her a grim look and went to sit down with her by the fire.

'What is...' She began.

'There's a ship coming. They've seen the fire.' He said.

Tashigi stiffened. Everything suddenly seemed darker and sadder.

'Oh.' She said and forced herself to continue on the dinner.

'It'll be here in about two hours.' Zoro then mumbled.

Tashigi nodded.

'I'll miss Aokusa.' She said then.

'It's a Marine vessel.' Zoro finally said.

Tashigi stared blankly at him and then nodded woodenly again. They both stared at the fire for a while.

'As I see it.' Zoro said. 'We can do this in three ways. Either we take over the ship and get them to take us to the Sunny. But then you'll probably loose your career in the Marine and have to become a pirate.'

He found his swords and then went and picked up Zo-chan.

'We could also pretend that I'm your prisoner but that could be risky.' He continued. 'I rather not bother Luffy and the other with having to come and get me out of prison.'

Hen went back to her and sat down with the badger and dragged them both close to him.

'Or.' He whispered. 'We could say goodbye now. Then I'll hide in Aokusas forest with...Zo-chan, and you'll go back to the Marine on that vessel.'

Tashigi snaked her arms around him. She wished time would stop right now. She wished she'd never meet Roronoa Zoro.

'If I...What about you and Zo-chan, if I go with the Marines? Zo-chan can't take care of himself yet.'

'I'll take Zo-chan with me on the raft.' Zoro answered.

'What...do you want me to help you take over that vessel and become a pirate?' She asked and felt her mouth get dry.

She felt Zoro looking at her.

'I want you to come with me back to the Sunny. But, I... what I want is not that important. What do you want?'

'I want to keep you and go back to the Marine and help Smoker.' She said tiredly. 'But I know that is impossible.'

Zoro didn't answer. They were sitting closely together and silent for a while.

'You need to go down to the beach. Try to keep them from investigating the island.' Zoro said and got up dragging her with him.

He started removing her arms from his waist and then smiled and stopped. He took his head and kissed her carefully. She kissed him back.

'So, it's goodbye.'

'Goodbye.' She whispered back. 'Zoro?'

'Yeah?' He looked at her.

'Will you fright me if we meet as Marine and Pirate again?' she asked.

'I don't know.' He shrugged. 'Maybe.'

'Try, please.' She said with a small smile. 'It looks bad on me that all of the Straw Hat crew are smiling at me and trying to save me.'

She went around the campsite. She hefted Shigure and found her Marine jacket and her boots. She went back to Zoro and Zo-chan. She rubbed the badger's ears and kissed Zoro softly.

'Take care.' She said and went down to the beach.


	8. Homecomming

**Homecoming**

The Marine vessels longboat slid up on the beach. Mariners jumped out and dragged it all the way up. Tashigi recognized the markings of a Captain on the one walking towards her and saluted.

'Ensign Tashigi reporting!' She said. 'Signed under Commodore Smoker. Lost in a storm and luckily I ran ashore here.'

The Captain nodded at her.

'Easy Ensign. I'm Captain Comodo. We're very happy to find you. Are you the only one here? And what do you know of this island? It's not on our map.'

'I'm here alone, Sir' She answered, keeping her face straight. 'The island is approximately fifty square kilometers. All wildlife and vegetation is green, even flowers and ripe fruit. There is one freshwater source and a small population of big wild boars, all green too. I've found no sign of inhabitants.'

Captain Comodo nodded pleasantly at her.

'Good work, Ensign Tashigi.' He said. 'Lucky thing you landed here and were able to survive. Spring island? Am I right?'

She nodded back at him.

'Well then. I guess there is nothing much to see here.' The Captain continued. 'Well take on freshwater and then get going. Is that your raft, Ensign?'

'Yes.' Tashigi answered and pushed the lump in her throat away. 'I didn't know whether there would come any ships, so I build that one. But lets just leave it here, maybe it'll help some other shipwrecks.'

The Captain smiled again.

'That's a very kind thought, Ensign. Now I trust you'll be happy to get back to a ship. Is there anything we can do for you?'

She smiled back.

'Contact Commodore Smoker as fast as possible and tell him I'm coming back.' She said thankfully. 'And warm water and soap would be nice too.'

The surrounding Mariners laughed and the Captain saluted to Tashigi with a smile and nodded to a communication officer with a Den Den Mushi. The Mariners hurriedly followed Tashigi's directions to the small brook and filled up their water barrels. Then everybody got back in the longboat and started the trip back to the big Marine vessel.

Tashigi looked back once, but didn't try to look for anything, or anyone special.

'Beautiful Aokusa,

So Green and Fertile

Forever Lost.'

She mumbled in a last goodbye.

'Excuse me?' Captain Comodo inquired.

'Just something I heard. I called the island Aokusa because everything is so green.'

'We'll mark the island down as Aokusa then.' The Captain said.

Tashigi got a nice warm bath, a small room for herself and a set of standard clothes. When she sat down in the mess she was quickly surrounded by nice Mariners asking her about her shipwreck and survival on the island. She tired to tell and explain the best she could, without mentioning Zoro. At last she excused herself and went to bed.

The bed seemed very cold and alone after sleeping in a piled of warm bodies for so long, but she was tired and fell asleep quickly.

The next morning she was met with a notice saying that Commodore Smoker was nearby and would pick her up when his ship reached her current vessel. She tried to help out her other Mariners as good as she could and then she busied herself with sword training.

She was relieved when Smokers ship finally came for her and she was transferred from one deck to another. Her own crew met her with happy greetings and salutes, and immediately lead her to Smokers small office on ship.

'Thank you, Seaman.' Smoker said and the Mariner following Tashigi hurried out.

Smoker nodded at the other chair in the room and she sat down.

'I trust you are fine, Tashigi?' Smoker asked gruffly.

'Yes Sir, Thank you.' She answered.

'And the pirate Swordsman?' Smoker continued.

'Fine, when I last saw him yesterday, Sir.' She said.

'Good. Do we owe him anything, Tashigi?' Smoker asked suddenly.

'Wha..? Eh, I don't think so, Sir. He wouldn't want us to be in his debt.' She answered uncertainly.

'Good.' Smoker huffed and then lit a new cigar and shuffled through his papers.

'This came for you.' He said and gave her an official paper. 'You have a lot of possibilities now, and a few have inquired for you. But I hope you'll stay with us.'

Tashigi looked blankly at the promotion.

'Of course I'll stay with you, Smoker...Sir.' She said at last.

'Good. Then get back to work, Lieutenant!' Smoker smiled. 'I'm glad you're back home safely.'

* * *

The town of Spinoza lay quietly in the midday sun. Spinoza was on the dry Summer island Bauro and it was famous for it's ingenious Lizard farmers and terrible Warriors. The harbor was safely guarded, even if the guards seemed to be dozing in the warmth of the Siesta. A small commotion suddenly occurred, in spite of the heat. A few people were looking over the sea and pointing. It soon became clear what had caught the dozy harbor guard's interest.

An impossible device was sailing towards the harbor. It was a small raft, towed by a giant shark. The shark was bound in a fragile looking harness, mainly made from a Marine issue Life Buoy and rotting leather ropes. On the other end of the harness a young man stood, steadily steering the shark. A torn green coat was billowing behind him and he had three swords by is side. When the weird raft came close to the harbor, the man cut the shark loose and the released animal hurried away and into the deepest part of the ocean.

The raft floated silently into the harbor. The man got hold of a small green bundle on the raft and jumped up on the quay leaving his vessel to itself. He was met by a few nods. The Spinoza townspeople new when someone was worthy of respect.

The man ignored most of the locals but went immediately after a guy with a newspaper. He grabbed the paper out of the other mans hands and stared at the front page. Behind him the bundle unfurled and became a small green creature that yawned and started sniffing around.

'Is this paper from today?' The newcomer asked.

Most people around him nodded. It was the latest news.

'Good.' The man said. 'When do you expect the Straw Hat to arrive on this island?'

There was a mumbling around then the locals came to an agreement.

'In one or two days, mate. Depending on the weather.' Was the collected answer.

The newcomer grinned shark-like, and asked for a place to stay and he was directed to the nearest saloon. He whistled for the green fur ball and went into the cool shadows of the saloon.

'A bowl of meat and a bottle of sake.' He asked. 'No, make that two bottles of sake, a bowl of raw meat and a place to stay the next couple of days.'

Then he went over to a table in one corner, placed the animal on top of the table and seemed to fall asleep until the bottles were placed in front of him. Then he started drinking and let the animal eat the raw meat.

There was a few whispers in the saloon.

'But it's over one-hundred-million beri.'

'Don't be stupid, we wouldn't stand a chance.'

'But he's alone!'

'Yeah, but his crew will arrive tomorrow, idjit! Go back to sleep.'

End

* * *

A/N Finished the second installment. Hope I didn't bore you too much with all the survival details and nature comments.

Again no apparent happy ever after. It squeaked me out just writing them being all soppy and gooey eyed, it's not their style.

And oh my gods, they are jumping each other so often in this one! No sex in the next story!


End file.
